Zayn Malik has been advised to "leave an open door" with his One Direction bandmates by Justin Timberlake's manager.
Johnny Wright, who has managed the careers of boybands including the Backstreet Boys, *NSYNC and the Jonas Brothers, told Billboard that he would urge the singer not to cut ties with One Direction entirely.
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"My advice to him would be to always leave an open door with the band, so that there's time for him to develop and find himself, but always leave that door open so that he can come back," he said.
"As for how he might come back, if that's what he wants to do, it all comes down to the kind of record he decides to make."
Wright added that there is no "blueprint" for Malik to follow when progressing in his career but said that there are some important steps he should take.
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"If he goes solo, I'd say make a great record, be humble and put in the work. Keep your doors open, take the time you need and make sure that if you decide to come back that you're coming back for the right reasons - not money or fame," he said.
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Wright added that he does not think Malik's departure will cause a huge problem for the rest of the group if they wish to continue.
"I wouldn't feel worried about their success moving forward unless they did something drastic that actually turned off their fans," he said.
"As far as them moving forward, the band is the band and as long as it continues to put on great shows and put out great music, I think the fans will be okay with it."
Malik announced that he was leaving One Direction on Wednesday (March 25), stating that he wants to be "a normal 22-year-old who is able to relax and have some private time out of the spotlight".
He added: "I know I have four friends for life in Louis, Liam, Harry and Niall. I know they will continue to be the best band in the world."
Reporter & Sub-Editor, Digital Spy Susannah is a freelance writer and sub-editor, specialising in the entertainment industry. She graduated in 2014, with a BA in English and American Literature and Creative Writing, and an MA in Creative Producing. She’s been writing for Digital Spy ever since, after first getting involved through work experience, and has written hundreds of stories for the site on a range of topics, from The Sims to Doctor Who. Susannah has also written for Reveal Magazine. Her special interests are soaps (her Mastermind subject would be 2000s Coronation Street), Marvel and Star Wars. She can also quote far too many lines from Friends and Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
